Glue setting machine



p 15, 1964 HQB. REED ETAL GLUE SETTING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1960 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IIEIE IEIE: ibllb l E hu lalr wll m-mm-h ulwm I INVENTORSREED GALLAGHER HERBERT JOHN C.

ATTORNEYS p 1964 H. B. REED ETAL 3,149,217

GLUE SETTING MACHINE- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1960 INVENTORSHERBERT B. REED JOHN C. GALLAGHER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent ce 3,149,217 GLUE SETTlNG MACHINE Herbert B. Reed,Dover, and John C. Gallagher, Brockton, Mass, assrgnors to RaybondElectronics, Inc., Norwood, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts FiledJuly 18, 1960, Ser. No. 43,541 2 Claims. (Cl. 219-10.69)

The present invention relates generally to machines for dlelectricallyheating freshly glued objects to harden the glue. More particularly, itrelates to a machine adapted with a conveyor for hardening glue appliedto the spines of books in the process of binding.

Bookbinding comprises a number of sequential operations varying incharacter and consecutive order according to the type of binding and themachinery used. An early step in all common binding operations resultsin an assembly of folded signatures arranged with the pages in propersequence. These signatures may be held in the assembled condition bystapling, sewing or stitching, or they may be trimmed to eliminate thefolds and then glued and taped together across the spine as inperfectbinding. Sewn books are commonly smashed after sewmg.

The following operations, some of which may be eliminated in certaincases, and which may occur in various sequences, are trimming the pages,gluing the signatures at the folds in the case of sewn or stitchedbooks, rounding the spines and finally applying the backs and casings.

For present purposes it will suffice to state that glue is commonlyapplied to the spines of books as an intermediate step in the bindingprocess. This glue is applied between the outer folds of the signaturesof sewn and stitched books and between the pages of pe1fect-bound books.Other operations which follow this step such as trimming and roundingcannot be carried out effectively until the glue on the spines hasdried. Accordingly, in many binding operations it is at presentnecessary to palletize stacks of books arranged in staggered piles, andto allow suflicient time for atmospheric drying of the glue beforedelivery to the trimmer or rounder. In the case of perfect-bound booksthe comparable problem is one of causing the glue to be firmly setbefore removal of the mechanical restraint which holds the books in theperfectbinder.

It is accordingly a principal object of this invention to provide aconveyor machine adapted for use in sequence following the gluing of thespines of sewn, stitched or perfect-bound books, and which will rapidlyharden the glue so that the books may be conveyed directly to asubsequent binding operation.

A second object is to provide accurately-controlled conditions forhardening the glue, whereby the glue i left suificiently flexible toinsure a binding of good quality. This is especially importantinperfect-bound books, for

the glue on the spine of such books comprises the only means for holdingindividual pages in the binding.

With the foregoing and other objects hereinafter to become evident inView, a principal feature of this invention resides in a novelconstruction of conveyor means associated with dielectric heatingapparatus for subjecting the glued spines to high frequency electricfields, inducing controlled heat in the spines to harden the glue.Another feature resides in a transverse arrangement of electrodes inrelation to the line of conveyor travel, with the electrodes havingalternate polarities to induce stray fields in the book spines forgeneration of localized heat, and with resilient restraining means tocarry the books under lateral pressure with accurately fixed spacing ofthe 3,149,217 Patented Sept. 15,, 1964 details of structure,arrangements of the parts and modes of operation embodied in thepreferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the appended drawings, inwhich FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal elevation of the machinecorresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation in section illustrating the electrodes andlateral restraining means taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the electrodes; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the electrodes.

General Description Referring to the drawings, individual books 12 areconveyed in the direction of the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2 (left to rightas shown) from a machine (not shown), which applies glue to the spines.These books are coverless with the glued spines facing downwardly, andthe glue may wet every page or only the outside folds of the signatures,depending on the type of binding.

At the front end of the machine the books are laterally and resilientlyengaged by a pair of endless chains 14 and 16. These chains suspend andfully support each book during its subjection to dielectric heat. Thebooks are carried to an endless horizontal belt 18 with metallic angleflights Zll secured transversely thereto, which underlie the books andsupport them so they are carried off the back end of the machine.

The machine is supported on a rigid base 22. A high frequency generator24 is supported on the center portion of the base. Pedestals 26 and 28are supported at the ends of the base and are preferably framesfabricated of welded angle and channel irons. The front end pedestal 26has four bearing blocks 30 which support two spaced parallel supportbars 32. Similarly, the back end pedestal has four bearing blocks 34which support two parallel support bars 36. The bars 32 support verticalplates 38 and 40 by means of suitable bearing brackets such as 41 boltedon the latter. A pair of vertical angle members such as 42 are bolted toeach of the plates 38 and 4t). Each of these members is bolted to anangle member 43 which is in turn fastened to one of a pair of parallelmetal tubes 44 and 46 of hollow rectangular crosssection which extend tothe back end pedestal 28.

At the back end of the machine the bars 36 support vertical plates 4%and 50 by means of suitable bearing brackets such as 52 bolted on thelatter. A pair of brackets such as 54 bolted respectively on the plates48 and St in turn rigidly support the back ends of the tubes 44 and 46.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the tubes- 44 and 46 areentirely supported on the bars 32 and 36. The bearing brackets such as41 on the vertical plate 38 and the corresponding brackets on the plate48 are provided with set screws which are tightened upon the supportbars 32 and 36. Accordingly, the rectangular tube 44 is fixed inrelation to the base 22 and the corresponding side of the machine isdesignated the fixed side. The vertical plates 40 and St), on the otherhand, are transversely slidable on the support rods 32 and 36 and thecorresponding side of the machine is designated the adjustable side.This side may be moved toward or away from the fixed side by hand wheels56 and 58 respectively pinned to screws 60 and 62 passing through holesin the plates 38 and 48 and threaded in the plates 40 and 50,respectively. p

The fixed tube 44 has a number of longitudinally spaced brackets 64(FIG. 3) secured by bolts 66 to the underside thereof. These brackets inturn support a longitudinal plate 68 shown also in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Theplate 68 in turn supports ground electrodes 69 and hot electrodes 70 ashereinafter more fully described.

The tubes 44 and 46 support a number of pressure brackets designatedgenerally at 71 (FIG. 3) and hereinafter more fully described under theheading Chain Conveyor. These brackets support and laterally urge theendless conveyor chains 14 and 16 toward the books. At the front end ofthe machine the chains pass over sprockets 72 respectively supported inbearings bolted to plates such as 74, the plates such as 74 being boltedon the vertical plates 38 and 40, respectively. At the back end of themachine the chains pass over sprockets 76 respectively supported in gearbox assemblies 78 hereinafter more fully described under the headingDriving Means.

A horizontal fabric belt 80 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 passes over an idlerpulley 82 and a drive pulley 84 and extends between the books 12 and theelectrodes 69 and 70. A thin flat strip 85 of Teflon, which is atetrafluorethylene polymer, is placed under the belt 80 and upon theelectrodes. The belt 80 is preferably fabricated of a material havingloW dielectric loss and good durability at higher temperatures, such asFiberglas material impregnated with a high temperature plastic. As shownin FIG. 3, the books 12 are preferably spaced a small distancedesignated s above the belt so that the glue remains out of contact withthe latter. The strip 85 supports and insulates the belt 84 which isrelatively thin and also spaces the belt from the electrodes. If a bookshould accidentally fall into contact with the belt, the latter conveysthe book at a fixed distance over the electrodes.

It will be observed that the plate 68 and the electrode section which itsupports are nearly coextensive with the belt 80, and that the front endof the belt 18 engages the books adjacent the back end of the belt 80.The lateral chains 14 and 16 extend to a point approximately midway ofthe belt 18.

Electrode Assembly Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the electrode sectionis supported by the fixed tube 44 on the brackets 64 as previouslystated. The ground electrodes 69 are solid U-shaped metal bars,preferably of aluminum, and are secured to, and at equally-spacedintervals along substantially the entire length of, the plate 68 bymeans of brass screws. The hot electrodes 71) are similar solid U-shaped bars preferably of the same metal as the electrodes 69 and arefastened to a plate 86 in the same manner. The electrodes 70 are spacedmidway between each adjacent pair of the electrodes 69. The plate 66 issubstantially as long as the plate 68 and is supported by the latter ona number of spaced ceramic insulators 88 each provided with corona ring90.

The generator 24 is a high frequency generator of the type commonlyemployed in certain industrial dielectric heating equipment, and isconnected by a two-conductor cable with the plates 68 and 86 in aconventional manner.

Power is supplied by the generator 24 continuously to the electrodes asthe books are carried consecutively past the electrode section on thechains 14 and 16. Because of the alternate order of the electrodes theelectric fields are generated between each electrode and the pair ofelectrodes of the opposite polarity on each side thereof. These fieldsextend through the strip 85 and the belt 80 and penetrate the spines ofthe books a short distance. The rapidly reversing electric fields set upin the glue inducing electric current flow therein which results inresistance heating. At elevated temperatures the glue rapidly hardensand is only slightly tacky as the books leave the electrode section ofthe machine.

Chain Conveyor 4 brackets are each in turn pivotally secured by clevispins 102 and 164 to screws 106 and 108 supported in hanger brackets 110and 112, respectively. These hanger brackets are secured by screws tothe rectangular tubes 44 and 46. On the fixed side of the machine thescrews 108 are rigidly and adjustably held by lock nuts 114. On theadjustable side of the machine the screws 106 are slidable in thebrackets 110, threaded on to stop nuts 116 and provided with collars 116and compression springs 118 for urging the brackets 98 and the chain 14resiliently toward the books.

Driving Means The moving parts of the machine are driven by a motor 120through a suitable variable speed drive mechanism 122. This mechanismrotates a sprocket 124 connected by a chain 126 to a sprocket 128. Thelatter sprocket is secured to a shaft 130 engaged through spur gearswith a shaft 132. This latter shaft carries chain sprockets for chains134 and 136. The chain 134 drives the horizontal belt 30. The chain 136drives a chain 138 which in turn drives the horizontal belt 18. Thechains 136 and 138 are connected by means of an offsetting shaft 140.

The above-mentioned shaft 130 also passes through the gear boxes 78which house helical gears thereon for driving the sprockets 76 engagedwith the lateral chains 14 and 16. It will be understood that the gearboxes 78 are secured to the plates 48 and 5th and the plate 50 ismovable longitudinally of the shaft 130. Driving engagement of the gearsin the movable box 78 with the shaft 130 is therefore accomplishedthrough a suitable key and spline connection, not shown.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the machine is soarranged that the books are conveyed in a vertical position, beinginitially engaged and supported on the sides with the glued spinesfacing downwardly in accurately spaced relation to the electrodes. Thebooks are thus carried in a direction transverse to the horizontalportions of the individual electrodes. The electrodes are connected withalternating polarity whereby the spines of the books are subjected to alocalized stray field of accurately controlled depth, intensity andduration. The books are finally delivered to a take-away belt 18. Theglue on the spines at the point of delivery is hardened to a degreeconsistent with the best standards of flexibility and enabling theimmediate use of rounding or trimming machinery on the books.

It will be understood that the present invention has been described byreference to a preferred embodiment thereof. After a study of thisspecification a person skilled in this art may adapt the teachingshereof by means of certain changes and alterations not departing fromthe spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. Apparatus for accelerating the hardening of glue on book spineshaving, in combination, a pair of continuously movable endless conveyorsarranged to support the books with horizontal, downwardly facing,longitudinally moving spines by resiliently engaging the ends thereof, acontinuously movable endless belt situated beneath and parallel to thepath of movement of the spines, an electrode assembly including a pairof mutually insulated electrode sets, each having a plurality ofindividual electrodes, each electrode having a horizontal portion withthe principal dimension thereof situated transversely of and beneath thepath of movement of the spines and being spaced a predetermined distancefrom said spines, said belt being situated between the electrodes andthe spines, a sheet of material of low dielectric loss characteristicssupported between the electrodes and the belt, the electrodes of saidsets being alternately arranged, and means to energize said sets bymeans of a source of high frequency voltage to induce stray fields inthe area of the spines.

2. Apparatus for accelerating the hardening of glue on book spineshaving, in combination, a pair of continuous- 1y movable endlessconveyors arranged to support the books with horizontal, downwardlyfacing, longitudinally moving spines by resiliently engaging the endsthereof, a continuously movable endless belt situated beneath andparallel to the path of movement of the spines, an electrode assemblyincluding a pair of mutually insulated electrode sets, each set having aplurality of individual electrodes, each electrode having a horizontalportion with the principal dimension thereof situated transversely ofand beneath the path of movement or" the spines, said belt beingsituated between the electrodes and the spines, a sheet of material oflow dielectric loss characteristics supported between the electrodes andthe belt, the electrodes of said sets being alternately arranged, andmeans to energize said sets by means of a source of high fre- 152,829,228

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,741,269 Alger Dec. 31, 1929 2,288,269 Crandell June 30, 1942 2,572,243Cashin et al Oct. 23, 1951 2,625,969 Mann Jan. 20, 1953 2,631,642Richardson et al Mar. 17, 1953 2,649,877 Renn Aug. 25, 1953 2,723,517Mittelmann Nov. 15, 1955 Webb Apr. 1, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3 149,,217 September 15 1964Herbert Reed et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below Column 4 line 62 after "each" insert set Signed andsealed this 2nd day of February 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No,3 l49 2l7 September 15 1964 Herbert Reed et a1 It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction andthat the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4 line 62 after "each" insert set Signed and sealed this 2nd dayof February 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. APPARATUS FOR ACCELERATING THE HARDENING OF GLUE ON BOOK SPINESHAVING, IN COMBINATION, A PAIR OF CONTINUOUSLY MOVABLE ENDLESS CONVEYORSARRANGED TO SUPPORT THE BOOKS WITH HORIZONTAL, DOWNWARDLY FACING,LONGITUDINALLY MOVING SPINES BY RESILIENTLY ENGAGING THE ENDS THEREOF, ACONTINUOUSLY MOVABLE ENDLESS BELT SITUATED BENEATH AND PARALLEL TO THEPATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE SPINES, AN ELETRODE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OFMUTUALLY INSULATED ELECTRODE SETS, EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUALELECTRODES, EACH ELECTRODE HAVING A HORIZONTAL PORTION WITH THEPRINCIPAL DIMENSION THEREOF SITUATED TRANSVERSELY OF AND BENEATH THEPATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE SPINES AND BEING SPACED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCEFROM